Until the Eschaton, there will be enemies of all that is good and peaceful - radicalized persons who pervert faith and justice into hatred and violence. We will never eradicate every evil person, but we can make progress in our war on terror and impede the ability of these groups to find new recruits.
My prayer is that May 1, 2011 will be a date we remember because millions of people decided to abandon self-destructive narcissism and choose a life of faith, hope and love, serving God and others and finding identity and purpose in worship and service. In our fallen world, we need the military sometimes. In a world longing for redemption, we must confront unexplainable challenges. We must combat terror with truth, ideology with insight and perversion of religion with genuine piety and righteousness.
This week marks the passing of a great spiritual leader, David Wilkerson, founder of Teen Challenge and Times Square Church and a formidable preacher of uncompromising truth rooted in the unconditional love of Christ. Today marks the beatification of Pope John Paul II, a tireless ambassador for freedom and one of the men responsible for the fall of the Iron Curtain. From his resistance to the Nazis in WWII in Poland, to his outreach to the world, he exemplified faith and humility joined with political acumen and pragmatism. These two men exemplify the courage and love we need to turn our nation and the world toward real justice.
Please join me as we reaffirm faith and first principles, commit to justice and peace and refuse to capitulate to fear. Such virtue cannot come without inner transformation. Such a work of grace is ours if we will believe the message of Easter.
